Njouom Richard, Pasquier Christophe, Ayouba Ahidjo, Gessain Antoine, Froment Alain, Mfoupouendoun Jermie, Pouillot Regis, Dubois Martine, Sandres-Sauné Karine, Thonnon Jocelyn, Izopet Jacques, Nerrienet Eric
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun, France.
J Med Virol. 2003 Oct;71(2):219-25. doi: 10.1002/jmv.10473.
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and genotype distribution in a rural isolated area of Central Africa, plasma of 409 Bantous (mean age, 32 years; range, 2-78 years) living in a remote village of the rain forest of Southern Cameroon was screened for anti-HCV antibodies. HCV seropositive samples were also subjected to qualitative detection of viral RNA. HCV antibodies were detected in 70 (17.1%) individuals, 48 (68.8%) of whom had detectable viremia. The seroprevalence did not differ by gender (P = 0.37), but increased significantly with age (P < 0.05), with a strong increase in the oldest age groups. Indeed, nearly one-half (48%) of the adults >50 years old were HCV seropositive. The characterization of the viral genotypes indicated that most of the HCV strains were of genotype 4 (76%), while genotype 2 (16%), and 1 (8%) were marginally represented. The results suggest a cohort effect with an old, possibly iatrogenic, group exposure rather than a continuous exposure. A more in-depth population-based epidemiological study is needed to address this issue further.
为确定中非一个偏远农村地区丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染的流行情况和基因型分布，对生活在喀麦隆南部雨林偏远村庄的409名班图人（平均年龄32岁；范围2 - 78岁）的血浆进行了抗HCV抗体筛查。HCV血清学阳性样本还进行了病毒RNA的定性检测。在70名（17.1%）个体中检测到HCV抗体，其中48名（68.8%）可检测到病毒血症。血清流行率在性别上无差异（P = 0.37），但随年龄显著增加（P < 0.05），在最年长年龄组中增加明显。实际上，50岁以上成年人中近一半（48%）为HCV血清学阳性。病毒基因型特征表明，大多数HCV毒株为4型（76%），而2型（16%）和1型（8%）占比很少。结果提示存在队列效应，即曾有一个可能因医源性因素导致的老年群体暴露，而非持续暴露。需要开展更深入的基于人群的流行病学研究以进一步探讨该问题。
